Having been encouraged and inspired by everyone on this site, just wanted to write something positive for my first blog.

Am still coming to terms with having this condition, diagnosed in January & on MTX since April, now starting to see improvements, but with many ups and downs.

Went off to Latitude festival on Saturday, for the fourth time and knew that this would be a different experience this time around. My poor husband was laden down with huge rucksack containing different meds, lots of layers for when i felt either too hot, too cold..., crystallized ginger and cans of soda just in case I felt sick, spare elasticated bandages for every conceivable joint. Anyway, I had a fantastic day, I think the adrenaline and feel good hormones must have kept me going until nearly midnight. Even the awful weather & mud didn't spoil things. Although it wasn't quite the same as previous times - less dancing at the front and more sitting on camping chair at back (mind you that had to be less embarrassment for my teenage daughter) I manged to feel quite normal for once.

Hope everyone is having a good day and having better weather than we are getting.

What a lovely blog Caroline. It cheers one up when they are having a bad day. Teenage children hey they don't realise we have been there and done all that. Its our turn to embarrass them. We love them all the same though.

So glad you enjoyed you day and night out even thoughit was different to what your used to.

Well done Caroline! I went to see Fat Boy Slim recently at a standing only, indoor venue. My husband pre-booked me a seat in the 'VIP' section and it was great! I was able to sit down when I needed to and the view was brilliant. No getting jostled either, I would recommend it.

U lucky thing, it looks great on the TV! I'm going to V and Leeds this year and was apprehensive about managing the carrying and the long walk in as I'm still only walking small amounts and with crutches.

Last year I got on the Disabled platforms which are great (you have to have DLA) as you can see over the crowd. But V is full so I'll take the camping chair and as your did my kids can go down the front and I'll happily sit in the chair at the back, then Leeds i am on the disabled guest camping and platforms and the best thing with that is that the site is right beside the disabled parking so there's no long walk.

You have made me so excited and I cant wait till Foo Fighters and Kasabian.

Lots of baths and resting now then, glad it went well, good on you , I know how touhg these festivals actually are to do. Have u been to Glasto? Its unbeleivable, definatly my favourite place to be, its like living in another happy no stress world.

Hi Allanah, Wow, V & Leeds and camping, I'm impressed. We only went for the day and that was enough of a challenge for me, am more of a glamping in strictly good weather type. Have never been to Glastonbury but would love to - I imagine it to be a much bigger version of Latitude with nice chilled feel.

Re the feet, I wore my ancient walking boots with thick comfy socks and although my feet have been giving me trouble recently, strangely they weren't too bad on the day. I just kept sitting down at every opportunity, Latitude is good for having plenty of tiered seating at back of main arena with good views. Or maybe it was just the mud had some sort of cushioning effect! Hope you have a really great time and look forward to hearing your experiences.

Hi Carole, I'm afraid mud is my idea of hell. We were panicking about getting car stuck but Latitude had organised a much better day parking site this year. Mind you my car still looks pretty terrible. It won't be me washing it though!

I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners. I'm not that old.).ha ha

. Great fun....I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners. I'm not that old.).ha ha

. Great fun....I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners. I'm not that old.).ha ha

. Great fun....I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners. I'm not that old.).ha ha

. Great fun....I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners. I'm not that old.).ha ha

. Great fun....I didn't have RA when I last went to Glasto, I can appreciate how hard it is to walk in wellies in the mud..I do now have a glasto finger. Asked when it caught in the back windscreen wiper of my sisters stranded car.

I resembled something from the black and white minstrels(don't laugh, no they were not headliners.

I took two 10 year olds to Camp Bestival last summer - we had a great time. Was glad I was "well" at the time, as I hadn't thought all of it through properly, like the sheer amount of walking to be done day to day, never mind the amount of carrying to get set up and packed away. But the sun shone (remember that experience?) and it was fun.

Camp Bestival is the one in Dorset that is very family-friendly. It's at a castle (brainfogged and can't remember the name - lol) so is spectacular. Never forget my daughter's joy at being squeezed through to the front by her amazing mum, and getting her hand touched by Eliza Doolittle. I think teenagers are probably harder work than 10 year olds!

Gosh so jealous.. I cant do the standing now.. went a different festival sun a medieval battle/ festival( tewkesbury) suffered from walking too far in wellys( ground was wet!) and standing my friend got a bag for life from her racksack so I could sit down.!!

I thought I was quite well until I tried this.. but I realise I have adapted my life around my illness ie not standing too long or walking to far especially in wellie! but I still did better than I would have done this time last year!

I would love to do a festival but a deck chair and comfy footwear is a must, I see live bands still usually cover bands but at pubs with seating xx

Hi Summer, I'm fairly recently diagnosed so my plan is to cram in as much as I can while I still can. Mind you I have suffered for it this week. Medieval festival sounds interesting. I've never been able to walk in wellys, am spending so much money on comfy footwear now, my husband thinks its just an excuse, but they're hardly attractive are they.